Loss to Cross Plains ends Albion’s championship hopes

ALBION TOWNSHIP  The Albion Tigers’ quest for a Home Talent baseball tournament championship ended Sunday with a 4-0 loss to Cross Plains.

Albion won the Southeast Section for the first time since 1976 to gain the Final Four berth. The Tigers (14-6) play at 1 p.m. this Sunday at DeForest to conclude their season.

Cross Plains starter Kodey Simon, a member of the Winona State University baseball team, allowed just six hits to record the shutout. Cross Plains turned three doubles plays, and only two Tigers made it to second base.

Josh Eastman and Ben Everson each had two of Albion’s six hits.

“Simon was not overpowering, but he only missed at the belt with one pitch all day,” Albion manager Ben Towns said. “He was mid-chin to the knees, and we just hit ground balls all day.’’

Tigers starter Mike Nanstad allowed all four runs on 10 hits through 6 1/3 innings. Nanstad walked three and had six strikeouts.

Cross Plains scored the only run it would need in the first inning, added a pair in the fourth and one run in the sixth. Albion reliever Josh Eastman shut down Cross Plains on one hit through the last 2 2/3 innings.

In the Final Four’s other second-round game, Dodgeville shut out DeForest, 3-0.

The championship is determined by the best record in a round-robin series between the four teams. Dodgeville goes into the final round with a 2-0 record. DeForest and Cross Plains are 1-1, and Albion is